AN ACT Relating to
higher education fiscal matters; amending RCW 28B.15.031 and 28B.15.615; adding
a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec.
1. A new section is added
to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The governing board
of each of the state universities, the regional universities, and The Evergreen
State College, upon the written agreement of its respective student government
association or its equivalent, may establish and charge each enrolled student a
technology fee, separate from tuition fees. During the 1996-97 academic year,
any technology fee shall not exceed one hundred twenty dollars for a full-time
student. Any technology fee charged to a part-time student shall be calculated
as a pro rata share of the fee charged to a full-time student.
(2) Revenue from this
fee shall be used exclusively for technology resources for general student use.
(3) Only changes in the
amount of the student technology fee agreed upon by both the governing board
and its respective student government association or its equivalent shall be
used to adjust the amount charged to students. Changes in the amount charged
to students, once implemented, become the basis for future changes.
(4) Annually, the
student government association or its equivalent may abolish the fee by a
majority vote. In the event of such a vote, the student government association
or its equivalent shall notify the governing board of the institution. The fee
shall cease being collected the term after the student government association
or its equivalent voted to eliminate the fee.
(5) The student
government association or its equivalent shall approve the annual expenditure
plan for the fee revenue.
(6) The universities
and The Evergreen State College shall deposit three and one-half percent of
revenues from the technology fee into the institutional financial aid fund
under RCW 28B.15.820.
(7) As used in this
section, "technology fee" is a fee charged to students to recover, in
whole or in part, the costs of providing and maintaining services to students
that include, but need not be limited to: Access to the internet and world
wide web, e-mail, computer and multimedia work stations and laboratories,
computer software, and dial-up telephone services.
(8) Prior to the
establishment of a technology fee, a governing board shall provide to the
student governing body a list of existing fees of a similar nature or for a
similar purpose. The board and the student governing body shall ensure that
student fees for technology are not duplicative.
Sec. 2. RCW 28B.15.031 and 1995
1st sp.s. c 9 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
The term "operating
fees" as used in this chapter shall include the fees, other than building
fees, charged all students registering at the state's colleges and universities
but shall not include fees for short courses, self-supporting degree credit
programs and courses, marine station work, experimental station work,
correspondence or extension courses, and individual instruction and student
deposits or rentals, disciplinary and library fines, which colleges and
universities shall have the right to impose, laboratory, gymnasium, health, technology
and student activity fees, or fees, charges, rentals, and other income derived
from any or all revenue producing lands, buildings and facilities of the
colleges or universities heretofore or hereafter acquired, constructed or
installed, including but not limited to income from rooms, dormitories, dining
rooms, hospitals, infirmaries, housing or student activity buildings, vehicular
parking facilities, land, or the appurtenances thereon, or such other special
fees as may be established by any college or university board of trustees or
regents from time to time. All moneys received as operating fees at any
institution of higher education shall be deposited in a local account
containing only operating fees revenue and related interest: PROVIDED, That a
minimum of three and one-half percent of operating fees shall be retained by
the institutions, except the technical colleges, for the purposes of RCW
28B.15.820. Local operating fee accounts shall not be subject to appropriation
by the legislature or allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW.
Sec. 3. RCW 28B.15.615 and 1993
sp.s. c 18 s 23 are each amended to read as follows:
Subject to the
limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities
and the regional universities may exempt the following students from paying all
or a portion of the resident operating fee and the technology fee:
Students granted a graduate service appointment, designated as such by the
institution, involving not less than twenty hours of work per week. The
exemption shall be for the term of the appointment. ((The stipend paid to
persons holding graduate student appointments from nonstate funds shall be
reduced and the institution reimbursed from such funds in an amount equal to
the resident operating fee which funds shall be transmitted to the general
fund.))
NEW SECTION. Sec.
4. If any provision of this
act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or
circumstances is not affected.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support
of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take
effect immediately.
